Engine swap help

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Bodderrz

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Feb 3, 2019
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Hello fellow zedheads

I've owned my 1.9 z3 since I was 19 and 3 years ago I had major oveheating issues, so I just set the car aside and went travelling, however now I've returned I've decided I'm going to swap out the engine so I purchased a 98 m52....

I've removed the m43 which was simple enough but am super confused with the engine harness... the m43 seems to have no x20 conector thaf i could find....
And as most engine swap guides are for e36s I don't know if the ews is located behind the steering column or behind the glove box

Any input would be greatly appreciated,

Thanks
 
:welcome:to the forum from West Cumbria. Well out of my depth but @Lee is currently doing similar, a 2.8 into a 2.2 so may have some tips. Other #Zedshed team members;
@GazHyde, @pgunter, @Mnbrennan and @Nodzed may be able to shed some light. Best of luck.
 
Awesome thanks, I thought it was but I read earlier it's sometimes under the steering column haha

Now I just need to find this illusive x20 plug.... No idea where it could be hiding though
 
Hi bodders. Buy yourself an EWS delete ECU so you don’t have to touch any modules.

You will need the engine loom from the M52 also when you buy the ECU make sure it’s the EWS delete and for the M52. The rest of the connectors will fit. You might also need to change the prop shaft coupling as they’re slightly different.
 
Lee said:
Hi bodders. Buy yourself an EWS delete ECU so you don’t have to touch any modules.

You will need the engine loom from the M52 also when you buy the ECU make sure it’s the EWS delete and for the M52. The rest of the connectors will fit. You might also need to change the prop shaft coupling as they’re slightly different.
Click to expand...

Hey bro, I've got the loom ecu and keys from the m52 engine... But my mate has a ecu with ews delete we were going to use first just to get the engine started once it's in

I just can't find a x20 plug to plug the m52 in... this is the main problem I'm having... if I've got to cut stuff up I will but I don't really want to just confused as to why there is no x20 going to the m43 engine at all

Thanks
 
Semi tempted to ditch my gutless M43 for at least an M44 but not sure how it'll get on with the MOT emmisions test on a stricter post 2001 test as BMW changed the engine's that year to comply with the new rules.
The M43 is spritely enough to start with but soon struggles.
 
Daspete said:
Semi tempted to ditch my gutless M43 for at least an M44 but not sure how it'll get on with the MOT emmisions test on a stricter post 2001 test as BMW changed the engine's that year to comply with the new rules.
The M43 is spritely enough to start with but soon struggles.
Click to expand...
Only a thought but is it not possible to fit the twin cam head to an M43
 
Daspete said:
Semi tempted to ditch my gutless M43 for at least an M44 but not sure how it'll get on with the MOT emmisions test on a stricter post 2001 test as BMW changed the engine's that year to comply with the new rules.
The M43 is spritely enough to start with but soon struggles.
Click to expand...
This is only £800 and you get the whole car, use the M44 engine and make money breaking it
 
One would think so though I'm sure the pistons are different too making it probably a better idea to buy a complete M44.
Think i remember reading somewhere that it would be plug and play pretty much. Just that pesky emmisions test that's on my mind. I'd have to get a US exhaust manifold that has an EGR attachment on it too.
 
I have an M44 already lined up just not sure wether to go ahead with it. £120 plus a great condition cat section thrown in. All the auxiliaries and injectors too
 
So no ones got any ideas on these 2002 m43 engines?
Anyone got an idea if the x20 connectors got ditched for other connectors around the time of the m54 engines that I could try and splice up to an x20

:(
 
M43 z3 does not have x20 connector guys it is more similar to e46 wiring as oppose to every other engine in z3 which is e36 wiring (to my knowledge) I have purchased a 1999 m52b28tu from a Japanese (so also rhd) z3 and the wiring loom looks exactly as it does on the m43 so I will be trying this soon will let you know results as I believe no one has done this before, I am sympathetic to any other m43 z3 owner who wants more power as you could not have a more difficult starting point, I previously bought an m44 and this would not fit as the loom will not plug into x20 because we don’t have one. To my knowledge it is possible to fit m44 head onto m43 but you have to also switch over full timing case and mess around with cam sensor lobes, use m44 intake and exhaust manifolds so really it’s better if you have a full m44 engine, you will have to use your original m43 ecu and then tune it, I eventually decided to go the m52 route as I am sentimental to this car but I also want more power than m44 would be able to provide, I couldn’t turn a spanner 2 years ago and now I’ve gone down this Rabbit hole so I’m not 100% certain that everything I’ve said is correct. god help anyone else in my position, good luck.
 
If you are not bothered by using forced induction you can go the route of turbo or supercharger on m43 I imagine m43 with m44 head and supercharger would pack a punch, I will be doing the second option after a full rebuild on my m43 as I love it as it has served me well, I never liked turbos so that’s why I didn’t go that route but the m52 is a placeholder for the time being until I make the m43 a Frankenstein monster engine
 
JAMZILLA321 said:
If you are not bothered by using forced induction you can go the route of turbo or supercharger on m43 I imagine m43 with m44 head and supercharger would pack a punch, I will be doing the second option after a full rebuild on my m43 as I love it as it has served me well, I never liked turbos so that’s why I didn’t go that route but the m52 is a placeholder for the time being until I make the m43 a Frankenstein monster engine
Click to expand...

I love turbos but that adds another level of work, money and pain. I put a turbo and stand alone ECU on my car a few years ago and never regreted it.

There is a lot of E30 people who boosted the 4 cylinders with good results.
 
JAMZILLA321 said:
If you are not bothered by using forced induction you can go the route of turbo or supercharger on m43 I imagine m43 with m44 head and supercharger would pack a punch, I will be doing the second option after a full rebuild on my m43 as I love it as it has served me well, I never liked turbos so that’s why I didn’t go that route but the m52 is a placeholder for the time being until I make the m43 a Frankenstein monster engine
Click to expand...
Ooh, down the rabbit hole.
The M44 is 16 valve so not direct fit to the M43, you’ll need to pocket the pistons. I think it was Daspete on this thread who discovered the cam is out of phase if you use M43 wiring, be worth searching for that thread.
You likely won’t need a full rebuild, nor should you go down that route if not necessary. Plastigauge the bottom end first to check, if fine, leave it well alone.
You’ll want a light flywheel, that will need balanced to the crank. The standard crank isn’t balanced properly. Neither are the pistons or rods. They’re pitiful to be blunt. The spread on the pistons I’ve just removed from an M44 is 3.4g, rods 3.5g. That’s abysmal. My son’s A series Mini was better than that.
Dont get sucked into over-boring to 2L, the pistons are all 21mm pins, M4x rods are all 22mm gudgeon pins.
If you want more info just ask.
 
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